dance dance!

I have been in Panama for about one month. It feels like it has been one year, yet at the same time, like I arrived just yesterday.

Technical classes full of sustainable agricultural information, language classes full of silly (sometimes serious) Spanish conversations, watching the rain, playing in the rain, laying in a hammock, planting yucca and piña in my backyard, etc etc, and family time filling in all the gaps. I love this.

So, I attempted to learn some typical Panamanian folklore baile/dance. These dances are generally for grand celebrations or weddings. The women wear beautiful flowy dresses (pollera), elaborate headpieces (tembleque), complemented by a lot of gold jewelry. The men wear adorable suits and zapatos blancos y negros. I love watching these dances - so lovely. I wish I could dance. No, I wish I could dance well. Regardless, I want to get married and have a big folklore fiesta in Panama. Alas, it has become my mission to get these dances down. Here is a look at my first dance lesson:

Dios mio. I am pretty great, no?! Once I get I my hips to work, I think I’ll be ok. Right now I kinda just wiggle my whole body around…Yeah, I have a long way to go. Ha.

Next week all 18 of us SAS people are getting split up and sent to different parts of the country for a whole week of specialized technical training. I am going to a city called Divisa, which is in the province of Veraguas, really close to the borders of Cocle and Herrera. Fun fact: Veraguas is the only province that connects to both the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean; this led to its name, which literally means ‘to see water’. If that is a million dollar question for any of you one day, I want 5%. Kidding. Anyway, we are going to be focusing on building and maintaining fish and rice tanks, irrigation/water pumps (la bomba!), and doing some work with sheep and goats. Should be a great time! We also have a free day next Sunday before we have to return to Santa Clara, so I think the 7 of us going to Veraguas are going to try to do a beach day! Ecstatic.

The Wednesday following our return to Santa Clara, we all find out our future homes for the next two years! Eeep!!! Are you excited? I am, too!

FUN

WITH

PHOTOBOOTH!!
=)

Hi! Ok, some more pictures are up from the Darien...check them out!

In other news...I TAUGHT MY SISTER TO KNIT!!! She actually asked and thinks it´s cool...I felt less nerdy. She is already a pro, and completed her first project! A little head band thing. I love this!

Anyway, just a quick one to say hi & throw them photos up! MISS you all!!!

besos!

with an oink oink here and an oink oink there!

Before I jump into the beautiful details of my volunteer visit:

-Happy Mother’s Day! (tarde, lo siento) I love you, Mom, and am SO grateful for your support and love. I miss miss miss you. Hug & kiss from Panama.

-To those taking finals, good luck! My brother graduates high school on the 20th- Congratulations, Chris.

-Aunt Linda, hope first Fridays went well- I made French toast the other day, and actually knew what ‘canela’ was, remembering one of your art pieces!

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For the past few days, I was lucky enough to visit a wonderful volunteer, Sharon, at her site in the Darien region. She lives and works in a community called Tamarindo (which is also a delicious fruit). It was actually a Latino site, yet very awesome, all the same.

The first day, we borrowed some horses and rode pretty far up a mountain to visit Sharon’s first host family. I got the tour of their current crops and projects going on at their farm, and helped plant some new cacao trees! (yay chocolate)

her parents took us out into the junle, and we saw loads of monkeys. they were making a ton of noise, yelling, or singing..whichever you prefer.

also, out in the forest, rubber trees! that stuff is collected and used in the making of...rubber items (duh)

in the days that followed, i got to see a good chunk of tamarindo. we did a lot of visiting with sharons other host families and friends, and we took a long hike to see the aqueduct that provides water for the community. did a great deal of eating, as every family you visit will invite you in, and have a meal and coffee in front of you within minutes..yes coffee..hot coffee--even though it is always crazy hot outside. these panamanians are intense. many visits also included frozen duros, though-officially my favorite treat in the world. i strongly believe a duro a day will keep the doctor away. and there is nothing wrong with two a day. sorry, apples, you have been replaced. hah i need to take a picture of one so you guys can put an image to the name and understand what i am talking about when i refer to them.

we did more horseback riding, aaaand painted ourselves like the indigenous embera and wounan people. you use a fruit called jagua (it is a soft j..and i am not sure if i spelled it right..sounds like agua..) basically you just cut open this fruit, submerge the seeds in water, and paint with the water. the next day, it turns dark blue. fun. you cannot eat this fruit, though..just for painting..which makes me wonder about who first discovered this...hmmmm...

i also learned how to use a lasso! here you see my first successful capture of a practice log...

THEN...this lovely boy lassoed up a calf for me to practice on..i felt bad at first, but the calf was a good sport, and i finally got the hang of it! yo soy una profesional!

i loved this house because it also had pigs and piglets!

So, I left with increased excitement for my future site! However, for now, it’s back to classes all day. I did end up getting a cell phone! My Panamanian number is 6528-2116 …just in case you come across an international calling card and feel inclined to drop me a line!

ciao!

P.S. Dunkaroos—Remember them?! The amazing childhood snack that was in stores one day, and gone the next?! Well, please inform everyone that the search party can be called off; I have found them. I guess they just decided the needed a vacation, and decided to kick it in Panama. This made me smile..